New Guinea Impatiens plant named &#39;Fisnics Burgsweet&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea  Impatiens  plant named ‘Fisnics Burgsweet’, and particularly characterized by the combined features of lavender and purple bi-colored flower color; medium to large, round, almost flat flowers borne well above the foliage; uniform, dark green foliage, relatively wide leaves; medium sized, round and bushy plant habit; and early to medium flowering response.

GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

[0001]Impatiens hawkeri W. Bull (hybrid)

VARIETY DENOMINATION

[0002] Fisnics Burgsweet

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofNew Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri W.Bull, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘FisnicsBurgsweet’.

[0004] ‘Fisnics Burgsweet’ is the product of a planned breeding programand originated from a hybridization made by the inventor, Birgit C.Hofmann, in a controlled breeding program in Hillscheid, Germany, in2000.

[0005] The female parent was the variety ‘Harmony Raspberry Cream’(unpatented), which is characterized by white to light pink flower colorwith cherry red stripes on petals, very dark, almost black, foliage, andmedium sized plant habit.

[0006] The male parent of ‘Fisnics Burgsweet’ was ‘Kispix’ (unpatented),having pink and red bi-colored flowers, medium green foliage, andapproximately medium sized plant habit.

[0007] ‘Fisnics Burgsweet’ was discovered and selected as one floweringplant within the progeny of the stated cross by the inventor in April,2001 in a greenhouse in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain.

[0008] The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Fisnics Burgsweet’ wasaccomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initialselection in July 2001 in a controlled environment in Galdar, GranCanaria, Spain, by, or under the supervision of the inventor.

[0009] Horticultural examination of plants grown from these cuttingsinitiated in the spring of 2002 in Hillscheid, Germany, and continuingthereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for ‘Fisnics Burgsweet’ are firmly fixed and areretained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The newcultivar reproduces true to type.

[0010] ‘Fisnics Burgsweet’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength, without, however, any variation in genotype. The followingobservations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown inHillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany, under greenhouse conditionswhich approximate those generally used in commercial practice.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The following traits have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be basic characteristics of ‘Fisnics Burgsweet’, which incombination distinguish this impatiens as a new and distinct cultivar:

[0012] 1. lavender and purple bi-colored flower color;

[0013] 2. medium to large, round, almost flat flowers borne well abovethe foliage;

[0014] 3. uniform, dark green foliage, relatively wide leaves;

[0015] 4. medium sized, round and bushy plant habit; and

[0016] 5. early to medium flowering response.

[0017] Of the many commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the mostsimilar in comparison to ‘Fisnics Burgsweet’ is the parental variety‘Kispix’ and the variety ‘Fisimp 172’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,699).

[0018] In comparison to ‘Kispix’, ‘Fisnics Burgsweet’ has a morepurple-violet flower color whereas ‘Kispix’ has pink flowers, as well aswider and more blurred red-purple pattern of secondary flower color, anddarker green foliage.

[0019] In comparison to ‘Fisimp 172’, ‘Fisnics Burgsweet’ has a moreblurred pattern of secondary petal color, while ‘Fisimp 172’ has narrow,but distinct reddish stripes. Furthermore, ‘Fisnics Burgsweet’ haslonger pedicels, darker and more glossy foliage, more even and betterbranched plant habit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0020] The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower andfoliage characteristics of ‘Fisnics Burgsweet’ with colors being as trueas possible with illustrations of this type. The photographic drawingshows a side view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fisnics Burgsweet’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0021] In the following description color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (RHS). The color values weredetermined indoors from plants growing in a greenhouse in May 2003,Hillscheid, Germany.

[0022] The description is based on plants which were planted as rootedcuttings in 12 cm pots in late February 2003, and then grown in thegreenhouse at a minimum temperature of 16° C. Most observations andmeasurements were made after the beginning of flowering in mid May, whenthe plants were about 12 weeks old.

PLANT

[0023] General appearance and form:

[0024]Plant habit.—Medium sized to larger, round, bushy, andwell-branched; growth is indeterminate, though weak after begin offlowering.

[0025]Height.—18.0 cm.

[0026]Width.—27.7 cm.

[0027]Number of branches.—10-12.

[0028]Length of branches.—12-15 cm.

[0029]Internode length.—5.5-0.70 cm.

[0030]Diameter of branches.—5-7 mm.

[0031]Stem color.—Partly reddish-brown, RHS 182 B, partly green, RHS 143C.

[0032]Propagation.—Terminal tips for cuttings.

[0033]Rooting.—Roots initiate in about 18 days at 22° C., from stickingto transplanting.

[0034]Cultivation time.—It takes about 9-10 weeks of growing time toproduce a marketable flowering plant in a 12 cm pot.

[0035] Foliage:

[0036]Leaf arrangement.—Primarily in whorls.

[0037]Shape of leaf.—Elliptic, with acute base and acuminate tip.

[0038]Surface.—Glossy and smooth, with very faint pubescence.

[0039]Margin.—Slightly serrated, ciliated.

[0040]Leaf length.—11.5 cm.

[0041]Leaf width.—4.75 cm.

[0042]Leaf blade upper surface color.—Dark green, uniform; mature andyoung leaves between darker than but closest to RHS 139 A and 147 A.

[0043]Veins on upper surface.—RHS 53 A to 53 B.

[0044]Leaf blade lower surface.—Mainly purple, RHS 187 C, partly mixedwith green, RHD 139 C; young leaves purple without green.

[0045]Veins on lower surface.—RHS 187 B.

[0046]Petiole size.—2.5 cm in length, 2-3 mm in diameter.

[0047]Petiole color.—Upper side RHS 53 D, lower side RHS 187 B.

INFLORESCENCE

[0048]Flowering response.—About 9 weeks after planting of rootedcuttings.

[0049]Flowering season.—Generally indeterminate, mainly from March toOctober, depending on light intensity.

[0050] Flower:

[0051]Number of flowers per node.—7-9, in various stages of development.

[0052]Form of corolla.—Single-type, 5 petals.

[0053]Shape of corolla.—Nearly round, butterfly-shape, relatively largefor a bi-colored variety.

[0054]Corolla size.—Average length: 67 mm Average width: 67 mm Depth ofcorolla: 10-15 mm.

[0055]Shape of petals.—Cordate, only shallow lobes at the top end, baseattenuate Top petal: 26 mm long, 49 mm wide Lateral petals: 29-30 mmlong, 35 mm wide Lower petals 30 mm long, 39 mm wide.

[0056]Texture.—Smooth, velvety.

[0057]Aspect.—Mostly flat, lateral petals may be slanting upright.

[0058]Color (general tonality from a distance of threemeters).—Bi-colored, lavender-pink with purple pattern.

[0059]Color of upper surface.—RHS N74 C to RHS N74D ground color,stripes and splotch on top petal RHS N74 A.

[0060]Color of eye zone.—RHS 66 A.

[0061]Color of lower surface.—RHS N66 B.

[0062]Spur.—Downwardly curved, 6.5 cm long, 3 mm in diameter at theflower end; color pink, RHS 58 C, fading towards the tip.

[0063]Pedicel.—Approximately 5.7 cm in length, 2 mm in diameter; colorlight green, RHS 145 B to 145 C.

[0064]Flower bud: Ovoid shape, 23 mm in length, 17 mm in width; colorRHS N66 B.

[0065] Reproductive organs:

[0066]Stamens.—5 in number, upper surface color between RHS 66 A and RHSN74 A.

[0067]Anthers.—Fused, hooded.

[0068]Pollen.—Whitish-yellow, about RHS 8 D.

[0069]Style and stigma.—5 in number, very short, purple, about RHS 187D.

[0070]Ovary.—5-celled, 5 mm long, surface dark purple, RHS 187 A.

[0071] Disease/Pest resistance/susceptibility: No observations to date.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘FisnicsBurgsweet’ as described and illustrated herein.